The Future of Hacking

Technology advances but so do online risks. That’s why cybersecurity awareness is crucial — in today’s digital age, everyone should know how to protect themselves against the ever-evolving landscape of cyberthreats. - Surfshark Media - Press TeamIn The Future of Hacking, Scherling shakes up typical cyber-narratives, revealing that hacking isn’t just the stuff of Hollywood villains, but rather a driving force in shaping our digital world. Blending media theory, design history, and real-world case studies, Scherling maps hacking’s journey from underground mischief to an essential pillar of cybersecurity. With a sharp eye on the future, Scherling argues that security isn’t just about stopping bad actors, it’s about designing systems that are resilient from the ground up. A must-read for anyone who wants to rethink hacking as both a problem and a solution. - Sarah Edmands Martin - Designer and EducatorThe Future of Hacking is a compelling read for tech nerds and laypeople alike. Our lives are now all run by computer technology, digital data, and the internet. Historians teach history so that we can learn from the past. Scherling’s book makes fascinating connections between the history of cybercrime and how the cyber threat landscape may evolve. This impacts everybody. - Kim Crawley - Cybersecurity professor, OPIT Author of Hacker Culture: A to Z (O’Reilly Media)As a hacker, I love books like this because they unravel the always-shifting digital battlefield—where shadows lurk, defenses falter, and resilience is forged. They capture the pulse of a world where curiosity fuels rebellion, new guardians rise, and awareness becomes armor. In the end, the future belongs to the prepared. - Chris Spirito - University of TartuOften opaque-by-design, the worlds of cybercrime and cybersecurity resist clear story-telling and accessible explanations. But there are so many rich tales to tell, with portents for everywhere technology reaches today. Dr. Scherling captures the key moments and main actors who shaped the path of ethical hacking and shares lessons for those overseeing cybersecurity operations, whether offense, defense, or in between. But her larger achievement is showing that what once occurred in shadowy corners of the internet now impacts our basic societal systems and fundamental rights. I will eagerly share this with students and colleagues as it opens the door into a distant world that’s becoming more familiar every day. - Peter Micek - Associate Professor, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia-SIPAAn engaging introduction to cybersecurity and ethical hacking concerns. - Georgia Wiedman - Author, Penetration Testing: A Hands-On Introduction to Hacking

Laura S. Scherling, EdD is a lecturer at Columbia School of International and Public Affairs and a director at Columbia University School of Professional Studies, co-founder of GreenspaceNYC, and founder of the Cyber Care Institute. She has published in numerous academic and popular journals and is co-editor of Ethics in Design and Communication: Critical Perspectives, editor of Digital Transformation in Design: Processes and Practices, and author of Product Design, Technology, and Social Change. Scherling lives in New York City with her husband, son, her dog Maggie, and her cat Maxine.